She's NOT All That
by inspired-sapphire
Summary: [ANOTHER FUN HIGH SCHOOL FIC!don't we all love em?]Kaoru's popular and she's as pompous, obnoxious and rude as they come. But, never mind. A particular redheaded someone who's twice as bad [and gorgeous!] will cut her down to size. [KxK]
1. Meet the girl!

Hey everybody! This is an idea I've had for two days now and I really like it. I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot. I love High School fics even though I'm not in high school anymore! Anyhow I'm sure you'll enjoy this fic and I'll definitely write this story to the end if you guys seem interested in it.

So, on with the first chapter!

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She strutted down the stairs, holding her head impossibly high. Her meticulously cared for ebony hair was flat-ironed to long, straight, silky perfection, and it flowed freely down her shoulders. Streaked with platinum blonde highlights, of course. Each eyebrow was tweezed to form an impeccable, but unimpressed, arch. Her mascara was applied carefully so her eyelashes curved sky-high, and there certainly wasn't a single _unseparated _lash, either. Lightweight liquid makeup was evenly spread over her flawless face, and pink lipgloss gave her small, plump lips that _shine._

But in spite of looking and being so damn pretty, Kaoru Kamiya was in a bad mood. A mood so bad that she could easily knock down anyone within a one-metre radius.

Why?

Because she was on her way to school. That place filled to the ceiling with THE biggest losers she had ever had the misfortune of casting eyes upon.

That aside, she entered the kitchen, where her father sat at the breakfast table, reading a newspaper, and her mother turned from the stove in surprise on hearing Kaoru's three-and-a-half-inch heels attack the tiled floor.

"Good morning, Kaoru," her gentle-natured mother greeted. Her brown eyes seemed pained, but still there was the faintest glimmer of hope in them. Maybe, just maybe, this would be the morning that her daughter would greet her normally.

Kaoru gave her mother an exasperated sidelong glance and didn't break her stride. "What's good about it? Get real, Mom."

"Shenjou..." Mrs. Kamiya sighed, looking at her husband.

"Mmm." was his unconcerned reply. He didn't even look up from behind his papers.

Then Kaoru's mother uttered a shocked gasp at the sight of her white ponytail skirt, which barely hung past Kaoru's behind.

"Kaoru! Is that what you're wearing to school? It's not appropriate!"

Kaoru scoffed. "Save it, Mom. I bought it last week AND wore it, or have you forgotten already? Hell, they didn't expel me or anything, right? Be happy."

"Shenjou, please, you have to look at her. We can't allow our seventeen-year-old daughter to leave this house like that," Mrs. Kamiya appealed to him in her faint voice.

"Like what?" he muttered. He still didn't look away from the morning newspaper.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and headed wordlessly for the front door.

"Aren't you...going to have your breakfast?" her mother questioned in a desperate tone.

"I'll buy some crap at school. I told you: stop worrying. Be. HAPPY." Kaoru walked out the door and slammed it shut behind her.

Beside the sidewalk which was in front of her middle-class home, a black limousine waited. Not her limousine, of course. Kaoru opened the back passenger door and got in.

"Hi, Kaoru," her friend Misao Makamichi greeted cheerfully.

Kaoru smiled sweetly at her. She loved the way Misao praised and and even imitated her.

"Hi."

Her other friend, Megumi Takani, was less pleased. "Ugh, do you have to spend ALL morning on your hair?" She tossed her own lengthy black hair in annoyance, a pout on her very red lips.

"Spent it on my face, actually," Kaoru retorted sarcastically as the car moved off.

"W-we're late for school," Misao said quietly after looking at her watch. She was truly concerned about her academic performance, unlike the other two.

Kaoru narrowed her azure eyes and raised her eyebrow conspiratorially. "Sweetheart. How many times do I have to tell you: getting to school early will NEVER get you a man?"

Misao sighed. "I know..."

"Must you always be such a whiner?" Megumi's deep voice complained.

"Shut up!" Kaoru snapped at her. "At least she's got Aoshi. Who've you got, huh? I hate it when people just think they're all that!"

Megumi bit her lip. She knew her tongue got out of control sometimes, but she had always been one to speak her mind. It was so unfair that Kaoru was the only one who could say and do whatever she wanted. But if Kaoru rejected her, and Megumi was no longer one part of their three-girl clique, what would she do? She shuddered at the thought of being one of those pitiful nobodies who didn't even look good and couldn't even catch a "man's" attention. And what would people, all those people she had insulted, all those girls whose spirits she had trampled upon, what would they say?

It would be the end of her life, she was sure, or as she said, "my life would **SO **be over."

So she plastered a fake smile on her face. "Sorry, Kaoru. You know I don't mean to make you mad." She made a babyish face and stretched out her arms.

Kaoru grinned. "Aww, I know, it's okay 'Gumieee! I still love youuu!!" They hugged each other while making silly baby sounds and giggling girlishly.

"I love you too Pwincezz!" Megumi returned, just as ridiculously.

"And we all love our Baby Sao-ie, don't we?" Kaoru crooned.

The three girls grinned. "Group hug!" they shrieked; and Megumi and Kaoru hugged Misao tightly, nearly suffocating the small girl.

Thus, all conflict was resolved and definitely by the time the limo pulled up in front of the school building, the three all loved one another _dearly_.

They all stepped out in style, their hair blowing charmingly in the breeze...and then Kaoru fell in love.

She nudged Megumi violently, making her jump. "My god," Kaoru whispered in awe, "can't you see him?!"

"Huh?" Megumi looked through the small bunch of students walking up and down in front of them--some walking up the "uh, I dunno, about, like, a thousand million and one stairs?!" leading to the school's entrance; others leaving for whatever reason.

Then she spotted "him."

"He" was just about to begin ascending the stairs, obviously enjoying himself thoroughly while chatting with his two friends--who weren't bad-looking either, in her opinion. But he stood out, with his long, blood red hair that was tied back into a low ponytail, his shining gold-tinged violet eyes and that confident, drop-dead gorgeous smile on his pouty lips.

He...was walking perfection.

And right then and there, Kaoru had already booked V.V.I.P. special reserve _or whatever _tickets for that guy. He was definitely going to be hers.

And if Megumi was getting any funny ideas about trying to grab him, she had to forget them as soon as Kaoru said, "He's going to be MINE."

But, as they always say, you should NEVER judge a book by its cover. However the word "book" was not acknowledged in Kaoru's vocabulary.

Unfortunately.

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	2. Rah, rah, rah

Hello! I'd like to thank all reviewers for their feedback!

Now for chapter 2!

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"You go for it," Megumi said unenthusiastically. She left Kaoru to her daydreaming and turned to find out why Misao wasn't with them.

"Misao! Get over here!" she called impatiently.

Misao was standing at the driver's door of the limo, peering in through the window and telling the chaffeur something. That's right, the limousine was actually hers. On hearing Megumi, she said loudly to him," Okay, bye! See you later!"

On entering the girl's bathroom, Kaoru sighed. "I swear, this is THE ugliest bathroom in human history." She hated the bright green walls and pink and yellow doors. She gazed into the mirror while Megumi fixed her hair.

"I have to go to class now," Misao said apologetically.

"Fine; whatever," Kaoru said airily.

"I think we had some kind of homework," Megumi said.

"Geez and it's for that Hajime guy, right? I hate him. We don't have to be in that class, do we?"

"He acts up when you cut his class," Megumi reminded her. Satisfied that she looked perfect, she smiled at her image in the mirror. With looks like hers, or even Kaoru's, who needed Hajime's stupid Math lessons anyway?

Kaoru shrugged. "He doesn't need to know we cut class." She flipped her hair back and glanced back at Megumi. "You coming?"

"Yeah..."

"Question is, where the hell do we go?"

"I could pay that stupid school counsellor to shut up and we'll stay in the counselling room. She's such a wimp. Besides I'm sure she could use the money."

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"You should be with me more than anybody else! I'm your girlfriend, you moron!" Kaoru shouted into her cellphone.

The school counseller, Miss Mori, cringed slightly and quickly shifted her eyes to her book again. She sat at a table and desk near the wall farthest away from the girls, and Kaoru and Megumi sat on the large, soft, fluffy white carpet that was spread in the middle of the room.

"What the hell are you talking about? If you would act more like you're supposed to then of course it'll work out!"

Megumi leisurely scrolled through her text messages, feeling bored but still glad to be anywhere but in Math class.

"That's it? That's how you flickin' break up with me? On the PHONE? Fine! I don't know how I ended up with a worthless guy like you anyway! One day you'll realize I was the best thing that ever happened to you! Do you understand? When you can't even find a--"

She stopped in dismay. "He" had hung up.

And when she looked up, Megumi was staring up at something.

The door was open, and there stood Mr. Hajime, dressed in an all-blue suit as usual.

"You are supposed to be in my class now. Am I correct?"

Megumi said nothing, feeling a little bad since she had been caught. But Kaoru scoffed. "Nope, sorry."

"Do you want to see your parents in this school today, Miss Kamiya? If not, I suggest that you find yourself where you're supposed to be," he said smoothly.

Kaoru got up angrily. "Come on," she said to Megumi.

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Kaoru applied a final pale pink stroke to her thumbnail and blew gently on it, willing it to dry instantly. Yes, she sat in class, where Hajime was going on and on about Algebra or something like that. She didn't get why Hajime even took the trouble to look for her and Megumi if he didn't care what she did in his class.

She glanced to her left to look over at Misao, who sat up attentively, her expression eager.

_Why? _Kaoru wondered. Why did she have to be the one with all that money and all those things she owned? Why did she have to own the car that took them all to school?

She felt an overwhelming dislike for the younger girl then. She was always envious of Misao, but she tried her best never to show it. After all, if angered, Misao could easily stop picking Kaoru up in the morning, then she might have to walk, because Megumi wouldn't be likely to pick Kaoru up at any time. Or, horror of horrors: she might have to take one of those disgusting, low-class _school buses!_

Never. She couldn't possibly sink so devastatingly low.

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"Did you snitch on us?" Megumi asked lazily as the trio sauntered into the cafeteria.

Kaoru rolled her eyes and tuned out of the conversation the other two were obviously going to have, and continued scanning the place for something extremely red. His hair would help her find him.

Lunchtime was SUCH a bore.

"N-no," Misao answered in surprise.

"'Cos if you did, you know that--"

"She didn't do it, okay?!" Kaoru yelled suddenly, twirling on her heels to glare at Megumi.

Megumi glared back and Misao lowered her head.

Irritated, Kaoru sped up towards the front of one of the cafeteria lines. Regarding the thin, quiet-looking girl named Tsubame who was just about to order, she said, "Let me go first."

The girl blinked, apparently confused. "But...but I--she protested faintly.

"GET OUT!" Kaoru shrieked at her. "Get out of the line! And next time, do what I say! You could've gone after me, you fool!"

The whole place had gone quieter at the sound of Kaoru's high-pitched voice. The girl jumped and ran out of the line, disappearing into the small crowd of students milling about in the spacious cafe.

And unknown to Kaoru, three boys who sat at one table looked on, each more or less impressed than the other.

"...my..." the cobalt-blue-eyed Seta Soujiro uttered. There was a slight smile playing on his lips.

Sanosuke Sagara waved his hand dismissively. "And...you're in heaven. You like that little piece of work? I think she could do with some pounding." He held up his big, tough-looking fist and grinned confidently. Then they both turned to Himura Kenshin expectantly and his expression didn't disappoint. A lovely little smirk and one raised eyebrow was what they saw on his unnaturally beautiful face.

"She sure thinks she's something, doesn't she?" he murmured slowly.

"WHEN ARE YOU GONNA STOP GAWKING AND TAKE MY ORDER? CAN'T ANYONE DO THEIR JOB AROUND HERE?!" Kaoru screamed at the cafe lady at the counter.

Kenshin stood, wiping his mouth quickly with a napkin and dropping it on his tray. "Watch this."

"What do you wanna o-order?" the lady asked nervously. She didn't know Kaoru personally, but knowing that many of the students were wealthy, she didn't want to risk angering the girl. She couldn't lose her job...not now...

"I WANT--"

Kaoru stopped when the redhead appeared beside her. It was HIM! Slightly flustered and totally unprepared, Kaoru brushed back some strands of her hair and spoke in a soft, mincing voice. "Hey," she said flirtatiously, "Um, why don't you just take a spot right behind me?" She smiled her cutest smile.

Kenshin's smile was dangerously gorgeous--and his voice perilously low. "Why don't you," he began, "get out of this line?"

Kaoru gasped, taken aback. "Oh, but..but I thought..." She bit her lip and plastered a smile on her face. "Sure, anything," she gushed. She stepped out and walked away from the line, letting her hips swing just a bit more than usual--just in case he looked back.

He didn't look back.

Everyone in the nearby crowd of curious onlookers was staring at the charismatic redheaded stranger.

"How are you?" he coolly asked the cafe lady, who blushed instantly.

"I'm fine...I mean...your order...?" She fiddled self-consciously with her white blouse, trying hard not to appear nervous.

Kenshin's smirk never faded. If there was one thing he knew he was damn good at, it was making unattractive women suddenly feel self-conscious and maybe even beautiful.

Sanosuke slapped his forehead in exasperation. "I _always_ tell that kid not to _overdo_ it!"

"...my, my..." Soujiro said quietly.

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"He completely humiliated you!" Megumi cried at Kaoru, who had a half-embarrassed smile on her face. She had been unusually quiet since the incident with Kenshin Himura. Now lunch break was over, and were all walking up the long hall towards their lockers. The hall was more or less deserted since everyone else had long gone to class.

"Just forget about it, okay!" Kaoru chirped. "Soon, I'm going to have him where I want him."

Megumi was appalled. "You mean you still like him after the way he treated you? Where's the Kaoru I used to know? You're letting his looks get to you!"

"Well, so what if I am, huh?" Kaoru demanded. "Show me ONE guy in this school who's better than him in any way!"

Megumi was silent. And Misao continued to be silent.

Kaoru tossed her head. "Exactly." Approaching her locker, she scrolled at the numbers on the lock, entering her code, then flung the door open.

"Pardon?" a quiet male voice said behind them. The three girls span around to see a handsome, dark-haired young man speaking on a cellphone while passing by.

Kaoru looked him up and down. "Well, aren't _we _trying so hard?" she said scornfully of his loose, long black pants with a silver chain hanging down the back from his belt.

The boy's stunning azure eyes met hers instantly, his lips forming a thin line. He was annoyed. "Himura-san, I'll talk to you later. I'm being attacked by some female lowlifes in the hall." He directed his attention to Kaoru. "What did you say, Miss?"

Kaoru was speechless.

Soujiro smiled. "I would like to take this opportunity to invite you young ladies to walk away as quickly as possible, before someone is severely mutilated."

"HA HA HA HA HA!" a deep-voiced somebody laughed from the other end of the hall.

Soujiro sighed. "Himura-san, it's not that amusing."

Kaoru, Megumi and Misao turned to see Kenshin standing there, laughing his head off. And then a good-looking, tall and spikey-haired guy ran up and stood beside Kenshin.

"Whoa! Did I miss anything?"

Kenshin was trying to stop laughing but he seemed unable to.

Soujiro narrowed his eyes at the girls. "What? Why are you still here, staring at them like that? Didn't you hear me?"

"SHOO!" Kenshin childishly shouted at the girls, grinning fom ear to ear. Sano found it hilarious and burst out laughing.

Kaoru's cheeks heated. They were all treating her as if she were some silly girl to make fun of! What nerve! She felt unbearably embarrassed. Reluctantly she took her books out and left her locker as quickly as she could, Megumi and Misao following her.

In class, the teacher's voice was vague and faraway to her. She could still hear Kenshin's ridiculous laughter ringing through her head. Her annoyance at the way he took her so lightly made her even more determined to get him. She would show that boyish idiot that she was to be respected! How dare he take her for a joke? She was the most feared girl in the school, couldn't those stupid boys see that?

She would _definitely _show him.

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Okay, there it is! I hope you enjoyed it. Please remember to review! Bye!


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